09/12/2025
💬 Let’s talk about masking…
Many autistic children learn to “mask” their needs in school or social situations. On the outside they might look calm, chatty, or totally fine… but inside they’re working really hard just to keep up.
Masking can look like:
✨ copying other children
✨ rehearsing what to say
✨ forcing eye contact
✨ trying to “fit in”
✨ holding in emotions all day
And honestly? It’s exhausting.
What we often see at home is the fall-out:
😣 huge emotions
😣 meltdowns
😣 shutdowns
😣 “after school restraint collapse”
😣 needing time alone
😣 tiredness and overwhelm
That’s burnout.
Not naughtiness.
Not stubbornness.
Burnout is the body saying “I’ve done enough for today”.
If you’re seeing a “different child” at home compared to school, it’s not because they behave worse for you… it’s because you’re their safe place.
Children mask where they don’t feel comfortable to be themselves.
They fall apart where they do feel safe.
So if your child comes home from school exhausted, emotional, or completely done with the world, please know:
🌼 you’re not imagining it
🌼 you’re not doing anything wrong
🌼 and you’re definitely not alone
Our children deserve places where they don’t have to pretend.
💛 If you’d like a chat, or need support, just send us a message. We’re here for you.
